Page 43

It was certainly strange, hearing Hudson sound so... empty. His voice lacked its usual confident inflection, and Anna was unsettled by the difference between this side of her husband and the side of him she was so used to.

Inhaling deeply, Anna leaned towards him, making her voice deliberately soft as she said,

“Your heart is in the right place. I know that he very likely understands that you have only ever meant well. As I know that you will only mean well when you must interfere in matters pertaining to our children. I know you will stand for them and take on any and all forces that seek to trouble them. However, you can do that much because they are your children. Cornelius is not your child. He is your brother – and a grown man. He will want to be heard when problems arise, and he must feel bad whenever his opinions aren’t considered. It must have been disrespectful if you decided not only to assume he did not know what was best for his own life, but you might have cost him his happiness. He is well within his rights to be upset, as are you – given how far things have gone. It is up to you to speak with him and make things right, as best as you can.”

“It will not be as simple as that,” Hudson pointed out.

“That is true. But as you said, he is important to you. So, I trust that you will find a way to get back into his good graces,” Anna pointed out.

Hudson nodded curtly. “You make a compelling argument.” Then he regarded her for a moment. “What are you doing here at this hour? And why are you still in the dress you wore out?”

“Well, that is because I cannot seem to get out of it. I came to retrieve a pair of scissors to cut the strings of my corset because I cannot pull them loose,” she explained with an exhausted huff.

Hudson regarded her for a moment, then he asked,

“Would you like me to help with that?”

Anna blinked, suddenly feeling bashful at the offer.

“Oh, I wouldn’t want to trouble you —”

“It’s no trouble at all. It would be better to let me loosen it than for you to ruin your corset or worse — lose a finger or two in an attempt to cut the strings.”

Anna hated to admit as much — and would not do so outwardly — but he made a very good point.

“A-All right,” she sighed in defeat, rising out of her chair and making her way to his side.

Hudson lowered his glass to the table and rose to his feet, looking down at her with an expression she could not decipher. Willing herself to focus, Anna turned around to show him the back of her dress that was already open, revealing the corset.

“You left your chambers like this?” Hudson questioned with an edge to his voice.

“I did not expect anyone to be here. It was quite late, and I only intended to collect the scissors and return to my room,” Anna pointed out defensively.

Hudson tutted, and she felt him tugging on the strings of her corset, the warmth of his breath sending shivers over her skin as it hit the back of her neck. The silence that filled the air consumed her thoughts, leaving nothing but the sound of her heart beating echoing through her mind.

She did not know how long they stood like that, quietly while Hudson attended to the task she had given him seriously, but after a few minutes, she felt the corset give way and fall open completely. Anna scrambled to hold it to her chest, relieved to finally be breathing normally again, but slightly concerned because she was in a state of undress before her husband.

“Thank you,” she said quietly, turning around hesitantly to look at him.

“You are absolutely welcome,” Hudson muttered, refusing to back away, leaving the decision to pull away in Anna’s court.

This, however, was proving difficult because she could practically feel the warmth radiating from his body. She could smell the spicy musk of his scent, which was pulling and pulling her closer to him, urging her to chase the warmth.

Anna was not sure who had leaned in first, but suddenly his lips were pressed to hers, and his hand was under her chin. Anna inhaled sharply, and Hudson pressed closer, tilting her head back slightly with the hand beneath her jaw, his tongue slipping past her lips, sliding wetly against hers.

Anna’s knees weakened, and she felt her stance wobble, gasping as Hudson wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her flush against him.

“I think,” her husband muttered, pulling back slightly, “I might have wanted to do this all night.”

His words, in addition to the lingering effect of his kiss, made her head swim. In the corner of her mind, she felt as though this was a bad idea. This was not in any way honoring the deal they had made before they were married.

Has that deal not expired already? Given that we already have two children together? A voice in her head reasoned as he dipped his head and claimed her lips once more, the sensation causing her to yearn even more for him, whatever reluctance might have dwelled in her vanishing completely. Her arms slid up and wrapped around his neck, holding him as close as she could.

Hudson maneuvered them towards a table and lifted her onto it, keeping her still with his hands braced on her hips. Anna just barely managed to swallow the whine that wanted to escape, blushing deeply when his dark gaze wandered over her body.

Since she had let go of her dress, the front of it hung open, the corset dropping low to reveal her breasts.

“I do not understand how you could feel anything but pride, with such a body,” he mumbled, leaning forward to kiss her again.